Sunday, 8 July 2012

Noel Gallagher Without Oasis Is High Flying At T

Review: No stranger to a festival, but promoted to frontman status, Noel Gallagher took on Balado with his High Flying Birds for support.

Noel Gallagher had the crowds in their numbers, though they were surprisingly static for Saturday evening T.

Perhaps dragging their limbs through the mud all day had led to full body fatigue, or there was the chance that all audience participation had been reserved for The Stone Roses and their grand return to Scotland, but this may have been positively one of the most polite Scottish crowds ever served to a Gallagher brother. Do you see what happens when Liam's not around?

After years providing much of the talent from his bolder brother's shadow, the turn of Noel to take to the centre stage seems like one he would had avoided at all costs if he could have. With his head often bowed, and focusing on his guitar playing, the swagger's been dropped and there's little acknowledgement of the crowd. Not that it matters really, as this allows a far firmer focus on the music, rather than wondering which person in popular music is heading for a slating next. Can you imagine if Twitter had been around in the heyday of Oasis, I'm sure Liam would have recruited a few more enemies for himself.

A far more melodious venture than his previous success story, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds do still follow a similar vein. The obvious rhyming words are in there, though it's an altogether more laid-back and grown-up venture, though still utilises that crowd grabbing rollick. Playing the first half of the set from their self-titled debut, with much of the crowd word familiar, it's the delve into Oasis territory, that makes mud pies into muddy thighs.

Talk Tonight stirs the crowd, before that old familiar theme tune from The Royle Family- it looks like there are a few of them and their extended family at T- Half the World Away. Looking relaxed and happy, leaving Oasis behind looks like it's put the fun back into performing for Noel.

Back to the present, and (Standed On) The Wrong Beach gets a similar reception to his Oasis revisits, an obvious fan favourite, before a dedication to, "Anyone that used to go to Barrowlands." With those rowdy adventures well documented, Whatever brought a bit of that atmosphere to Balado, for the first full on sing along of the set. Even backed by a crowd of many thousands, Noel's own version was a lighter and more tuneful rendition, a whole happier song without Liam's distinctive drawl across the vocal.

Serving up a set list of festival pleasers, 90s anthems, Little By Little accelerated the set to the finishing line of Don't Look Back In Anger- perhaps some advice for many unhappy customers who left T early as a result of yesterday's difficult conditions.

Leaving the crowd awash in nostalgia, rather than promoting his newer material, Noel Gallagher delivers what Balado needs, and although they were far from wild, there was a certain warmth between them and Mr G back in his second home... Or it could just have been the mutual excitement for headliners The Stone Roses.